South Africa Fines Four Chinese Fishing Vessels for Unauthorized EEZ Entry

Four Chinese distant-water fishing vessels were intercepted and held at the Port of Cape Town anchorage after entering South Africa's Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial waters without authorization, with their owner ultimately paying a R400,000 administrative penalty before the fleet was released and departed South African waters.

The vessels, Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233, and Zhong Yang 239, owned by Shenzhen Shuiwan Pelagic Fisheries Co. Ltd, had first approached South African authorities on February 23, requesting permission to transit the EEZ under "innocent passage" and promising to exit by March 3. Four days later, on February 27, the South African Maritime Safety Authority flagged that the same vessels had also applied for Off-Port Limits authorization without providing the required justification or documentation. That request was rejected.

The situation escalated when the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment detected the vessels entering the EEZ while their OPL application was still under review. Rather than passing through as claimed, the four ships traveled along the South African coast while repeatedly switching their Automatic Identification System on and off, behavior that authorities treated as both suspicious and a direct violation of local regulations. "AIS is a critical safety system used to ensure navigational awareness and prevent collisions at sea," the DFFE noted.

DFFE officers, working alongside a South African Police Service Tactical Team, carried out a coordinated interception on March 12-13. The Zhong Yang vessels were placed under guard at the Port of Cape Town anchorage by SAPS Tactical Team members and Fishery Control Officers while officials worked through compliance procedures with Shenzhen Shuiwan. The ships' masters were charged for non-compliance under the Marine Living Resources Act, and the R400,000 administrative penalty, equivalent to approximately USD 23,822 or EUR 20,693, was levied against the owner.

Shenzhen Shuiwan paid the fine, and all four vessels were subsequently released. They have since left South African waters.

DFFE Minister Willie Aucamp was unambiguous about the government's position. "South Africa will not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones," he said. "We remain resolute in safeguarding our marine resources and ensuring that our ports are not perceived as ports of convenience. Compliance with our laws is non-negotiable."

Outstanding questions remain around the full legal status of the charges against the vessels' masters and whether formal criminal proceedings will follow the administrative action. No response from Shenzhen Shuiwan Pelagic Fisheries Co. Ltd has been made public, and independent verification of the AIS switching behavior through official position logs has not yet been confirmed.